Box-motion-controlled electromagnetic weft detector



Aug. 23, l1927'. 1,639,822

W. H. WAKEFIELD BoxuoTIoN co'NTRoLLED,ELECTROMAGNETIC wEF'r DETECTOR Filed Dec. 30, 1924 z Sheets-sheet 1 in. l

23 1927. y A .l 639 822 Aug w.. H. rWAKEFIELD v BOX MOTION CONTROLLED ELECTROMAGNETIC WEFT DETECTOR Filed Dec. 30, '1924 z sheets-snm 2 Patented Aug. Z3; 192'?.

STATES PATENT orifice.

waarna wAKnrInLn, or Wononsrnn,MASSACHUSETTS, Assrenonro onor/Promi a ifznoWLns ILOOM Wonne," or WORCESTERMASsAonUsnr'rs, A CORPORATION' or MASSACHUSETTS. v

BOX-MOTION-CUNTROLLED EL'ECTROLVMA'GNVETVIC vWIEFT DETECTOR.

Application filed December 30, 1924. Serial No. 758,904. y

This invention relates to wettdetectors portion of a loom having my invention apfor 'looms employing two or more shuttles plied ftheretoyin connection with a box moand it is the principal object of the invent-ion tion for. two shuttles. to provide a detector `whichfshall be more Fig. 2 is' an enlarged end elevation of mv 5 sensitive when detecting weft in cert-ain improved .detecting mechanismv looking iii vshuttles than when detecting the weft in the direction' of arrow 2, Fig. 1, j other shuttles. Fig. Sis a top plan view of the mechanism ln certain fancy vfabrics it is frequently sliownin Fig, f

desirable to introduce occasional bands ot' Figli fis-a vertical section on line H l a very line wett such as silk, the remainder of F ig. 1,

of the tabric being woven otmuch coarser is a vertical section on line 5 5 koi weft. Under such conditions it `the usual Fig. 1, type of eeler. be adjusted tor the very line '.Fig. 6 is a top plan View 'look-ing in the 65 yarn it will not indicate substantial exhausdirection of arrow'G, Fig. t, and

tion ot' the coarser yarn until insulicient :.Fig. i7 'is a detail ot' one of the resistance coarse yarn is present to .lay the two piclrs elements, portions being` in section. usually required before transfer on auto- VReferring more particularly tothe drawmatic box looms. y l v ings it will be seen that l have provided a 7c lu order to reduce the waste ot both types loom trame 10 having associated .therewith ol yarn l have provided a detector, shown a IboX motion shown herein as adapted for herein as being' o1" the electromagnetic type. two shuttles, the boxes 11 and 12, respecwhich can be renderedmore or less sensitive tively, receiving thelshuttles yS ,and S and according to the'type ot'yarn in the active being moved verticallyby a box rod 13 shuttle and it is accordingly amore detailed which receives motion from any one of the object oiL my invention to provide a so'lenoid approved rbox motions in commonV use. rit with a. movable core to cooperate lwith a the opposite l.endot'the frame 10 is magamagnetic body in the shuttle, the strength of Zine or weftv rep'lenishing mechanism indithe solenoidY being variable and under concated generally -atV 1st which may be of the su trol of the box motion. type shown in Patent No. 1,030,748 issued 3o lt is a further object of my invention to to Byron, and having the bob'bin selecting provide an electro-magnetic wett detector mechanism operated'inpai-thylink 15 which having .provision for causing a comparais movable'vertically by alever 16 to which tively vide variation in the sensitiveness ot' it is pivoted.`l The centrall portion .of the su the detector, this result being accomplished lever 1K6 ,is connected -to the vertically recipby removable resistance units which canbe rocating rod 17 and the outer end of said substituted one Jfor th-e other to vary the lever vis llocateld to cooperatewitli theconamount ot current which is supplied to the troller 18 to be described more in detail hercsolenoid. inatt'er. lThe controller 18 is normally out 9o Itis a stil'l further object'of my invention of the path of .the lever 16, toVV rpermit Said 4o toV provide a plurality of normally open eleclever to move downwardly witlioutmoving tric circuits each including the detector comthe link 15 but. when the controller is under bined with means to close the circuit correthe leverthe controller then becomes the spondingto the active shuttle. pivot about which the lever AmovesY andas 95 lith Athese and other objects in view.la tlielat'teri's lowered link 15 will be depressed 15 which will appear as the description proto actuate-*lthe magazine. 'The matter thus ceeds, my invention resides in the combinafar described is of the usual construction tion and arrangement ot parts hereinafter and Aforms no part ot'. my .present invention. described and set 'forth in the claims. My invention relates more panticu'larlyto loc ln the accompanying drawings wherein l the'mechanism `for actuating the controller have shown one embodiment of my inven- 1*'8 and cons'istsof an electro-magnetic detection, tor'adjacent the magazine or the weft re- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the lower plenishing mechanism and a circuit maker Y spaced upright arms adjacent the box motion at the box end of the loom. The detector comprises a stand 30 bolted or otherwise secured to the loom frame lO and having a horizontally extending shelf 31, an upstanding arm 32 yand a forwardly projecting linger 33. Wounted upon the shelf 31 is a bracket 34 having which support a tube 36 which is formed of brassV or'ai'iy other suitab'le non-magnetic material. Surrounding said tube 36 .is a solenoid 37 and passing through said tube is a core or plunger 38. Adjustably mounted on the core 38 is a collar 39 which confines a light compression spring 40 located between said collar and the adjacent arm 35. A holder 41 is also adjustably mounted on said core or plunger 38 and is provided with a hollow neck 42 which receives the lower bent end of controller 18. Arm 32 is provided with a horizontal bore 43 through which the controller 18 extends and said arm is also provided with a vertical slot 44 in which moves the lever 16.

Finger 33 has projecting therefrom a stud 45 on which is loosely mounted a lever 46 having a depending arm 47 placed for engagement with the core or plunger 38 and limited in its rearward movement by adjusting screw 48 which passes through boss 49 on said finger 33. Projecting forwardly from the lever 46 is a second arm 5() which receives the upward end of a spring 51 the lower end of which is secured in finger 33. By means of said spring 51 the arm 47 is held normally in rearward position against the adjusting screw 48. Said spring 51 is considerably stronger than the spring 40.

The Vmagazine end of the lay is provided with a single shuttle box which may be occupied by either shuttle S or S, shuttle S being shown therein in Fig. 2. Shuttle S has therein a bobbin lV which is provided with a ferrule F of magnetic material, said ferrule being placed as indicated in Fig. 3 so as to lie opposite the plunger or core 38 when the shuttle is in the single box. Each of the shuttles is provided with a bobbin having a ferrule F. j

As previously stated the shuttles carry yarn of widely different characteristics and it is desirable that the solenoid 37 be relatively strong when detecting coarse yarn and relatively weak when detecting fine yarn. The mechanism for effecting a change in the strengthof the solenoid is located adjacent the box end of the loom. Referring more particularly to Figs. 4, 5, and 6 it will be seen that I have provided a block 52 having a split portiony 53 by means of which the same may be held to the box rod 13 by clamping screws 54. Said block is preferably formed of insulating material and has extending therefrom an offset iiange 55 which supports contact block 56 by vmeans of screws 57.

Held to the contact block 56 as by bolts 58 is a contact shoe support 59 also formed of insulating material. A contact shoe 60 is provided for the upper portion of the suppor-t59 andanother contact shoe A61 is provided for the lower part of the support 59, said contact shoes being insulated from each other and held in place by-nieaiis of screws 62. 'Thebolts 58a're preferably out o'fvere tical alignment with the shoes 60 and 61.

The shoes cooperate with a relatively fixed contact plate 63 which is suitably held to a holder 64 of insulating material, said holder being mounted on an upright 65 which-may` be mounted on the picker foot P as shown in the drawings. Said y contact plate 63 is so placed as to be in contact withone orY thev other of the shoes according to the position en j sistance wire 69 which is wrapped around the bai-rel 67, one end of said wire 69 being led to the corresponding prong 68 Athrough a bore 70 which passes through the base and barrel. Said prongs 68 are adapted 'to be received by contact openings 71 formed in the contact block 56 and contact'openings 72 formed in the shoes, respectively.

Shuttle S is occupied by a bobbin wound with relatively coarsey yarn while the shuttle S' vis provided with relatively line yarn and because of this fact a greater length of yarn can be wound on Vthe bobbin in the shuttle S than can be wound on the bobbin in the shuttle S. For this reason when aA given length of yarn remains on the bobbin in shuttle S the diameter of said yarn will be larger than will be the case when the saine length of yarn remains on the bobbin in shuttle S. The amount of yarn remaining in the two shuttles when replenishmentis desirable will therefore be of different diameters but the plunger 38 will be equally sensitive in both instances to'indicate. Inasinuch as at indication for the coarse yarn it should be further from the metallic feirule'than with the fine yarn, it is necessary that the solenoid be relatively stronger for the coarse yarn and to accomplish this result a relatively light resistance will be in circuit when the coarse yarn is being woven. As shown in the drawings the resistance R will be small while the resistance R will be large. .Y Y

lVhen the shuttle S is activev thecurrent i upon which of the boxes shall occupy the will start trom the batter-y B, pass through wire 80 to contact plate 68, pass through shoe 60 and .resistance element R, throughcontact block 56, through wire .81 to the solenoid 37 and trom the .solenoid back to the battery,

R which is relatively :large to lessen the at tractive force of the solenoid audits core. In t-his way the amount of current ilowing through the solenoid is varied according to the shuttle which is active, the solenoid being in each oit a plurality ot normally open circuit-s.

As the yarn becomes depleted the distance betweenthe rea-r end of the -plunger 88 and the metaliic fer-rule grows less and less and when the-desired amount is reached, depending upon the adjustment of collar 39, the attraction between V'the errule and 4the plunger w-ill beV sufficient kto move gsaid plunger rearwardly lasfth'e lay starts on its backward movement. Such a'lmotion is accompanied Aby a movement of the controller l-S under the lever 116 a-nd as the latter descends `an operative movement is given to the magazine vas previously described.

A vwire or other Aprojection 84 extends from the collar BQto loe-engaged by the transfer mechanism to withdrawfthefeeler, an operation well understood in the art. The upright 65 is pivoted as lat 85tothe picker-toot P n and is held normallyr toward 'the' contactA bloclr by coiled-,spring Y8,6.

From the foregoing it will bessen that I have lprovided a single detectorfor cooperation with a plurality :ofshuttles'and have provided for rendering said'detector-sensitive to any selected degree to agree Vwith 'the activecshuttle. It tine yarn is being detected the attraction between the-plunger and the ferrule will be relatively low so as to cause a backward movement of the plunger when a comparatively thin layer of yarn is present but if coarse yarn is being woven requiring a greater thickness of yarn at the timeof indication then the attraction between the ferrule and the plunger will be stronger. It will also be noted that I have provided resistance units which can be changed easily, thus imposing no limitation shuttle supplied with line yarn. Also, it will be seen that the detector isin each of a plurality of normally open circuits which are closed, one at a time, in timed `relation with the active shuttle. Although I have shown the invention as applied to a two box loom, the principles set forth herein can be extended to cover more boxes and I do not wishto be limited to the construction shown herein as I believe the device set forth hercin isthe lirst electro-magnetic wett detector which is sensitive in varying degrees according to which shuttle is active.

IIaving Vvthus described my invention it will be apparent that Lchanges and modii'ications may be made therein by those skilled in the art without'r departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention, and I do not wish to be limited to the details herein -disclosed, but what I claim is:

l. In a loom, shifting shuttle boxes, an electro-magnetic wett detector, and means controlled `by the position oilv 4the shuttle box-es to render the magnetic attractionv ot said detector greater when said boxes are in oneposition than when they are in'another position.

' 2. In aloom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes, means to move said boxes to a plurality of positions, an electro-magnetic weft detector, land means under control of the iirst named means to vary the magnetic attractive force' of the detector.

8. In a loom, an electro-magnetic weft detector, shifting shuttle boxes cachot which may move to active position,x plurality of resistance units. each different in va'lue from the other movable with the boxes, and means to connect said detector in circuit with any onel of'said resist-ances.y

4. In Ava loom, an electro-.magnetic weft detector, shifting shuttle boxes each of which may move to active position, a plurality of resistance units each different in value -t'rom the other and movable with the boxes, and means lto establish ay plurality of circuits each of which contains the detector and one ofthe resistances.

5. AIn a loom having va plurality of shifting shuttle boxes and lshuttles each carry-ing a magnetic body and each ot which may become active one at atime, anelectro-mag- `neticxdetector to cooperate with each shuttle Vwhen active, a 'plurality of normally open electric circuits each including said detector, a lplurality of removable resistance units of dii'erent values, each circuit including a removable resistance unit` and means dependent upon which shuttle box is in active position, to close but one of said circuits at a time.

a 6. In a loom, shifting shuttle boxes, sliding contacts movable therewith, removable resistance units movable with the boxes and contacts, an electro-magnetic detector, and means to establish a plurality of circuits each including said detector andv one of the Ycontacts'and one of the movable resistance units. Y

7. In a loom, a plurality of shifting shut-- tle boxes, a plurality of contacts movable with the boxes, a plurality of interchangeable resistance units of diferent values mov- YVwherein each shuttle is provided with a magable with the boxes, an electromagnetic Vdetector, and means to establish a plurality of electric circuits each including the detector and one of the interchangeable resistance units.

8. In a loom having` a plurality of shuttles each provided With a magnetic body, shitting` shuttle boxes to move the shuttles one at a time to active position, an electromagnetic detector, a supporting structure, a plurality ot interchangeable resistance units mounted on said-supporting structure, aplurality of circuits each to include said detector and one'ot the resistance units, and means dependent upon theposition of the shuttle boxes to close one or another of said circuits at a time.

9. ln a loom, a plurality of shifting shuttle boxes and shuttles therefor, an electromagnetic Wett detector to cooperate With anyone of the shuttles one at a. time` a magnetic body carried by each shuttle, means to cause magnetic attraction between the detector and magnetic body of the shuttle being detected, and means dependent upon which shuttle box is in active position to vary said attraction.

l0. In a loom, a plurality oit shifting shutt-le boxes and shuttles therefor, an electromagnetic Wett detector to` cooperate With anyone of the shuttles which may become active, a magnetic body carried by each shuttle, means to cause magnetic attraction between the detector and the magnetic body carried by the active shuttle, and means dependent upon Which shuttle box is in active position to vary said attraction in timed relation With the movements of the shifting shuttle boxes.

1l'. In an electro-magnetic detector to cooperate ivith a plurality Iof shuttles in a loom havin shifting shuttle boxes and netic element, a magnetized element forming part ot said detector and means dependent upon which shuttle box 1s in active position to vary the degreeA of magnetization of said Vmagnetized elements.

12. ln a loom, a plurality of shuttle boxes and shuttles therefor, each shuttle having a body of magnetic material, a magnetized detector to cooperate with the bodies of magnetic material ot' each of the shuttles,n and means dependent upon which shuttle box' is in active position to vary the degree of magnetization of said magnetized body.

13. In a loom having a vplurality of shift` ing shuttle boxes and shuttles therefor,n each shuttle being provided With a magnetic element, a weft detector having a magnetized element, and means dependendtV upon which shuttle lbox is in active position to lvary the attracted force between said elements.

14. In a loomy having` a plurality of shuttle boxes and shuttles therefer each of vvhich may become active, an-electromagnetic Wett detector, and means dependent upon which shuttle box is in active position tovvary the strength of the current energizingsaid electro-magnetic yvettdetector.

l5. In a box loom having` a plurality of shuttle 'boxes and shuttles therefor each of which maybecomeactive, a solenoid, aplurality of resistances of different values,

means dependent upon which shuttlebox is in active position to connect said solenoid electrically with one or another of said'resistances, and Wett detecting mechanism ep-V eratively associated With saidsolenoid.

16. n a loom having a plurality of shitting` shuttle boxes and shuttles therefor each of which may become active, an electromagnetic detector .to cooperate with each shuttle when active, and means coordinated with the shuttle boxes and dependent upon which shuttle box is inactive position Vto vary the strength of the electric current eny ergizing said electro-magnetic detector.

Inv testimony'rwhereof l have hereunto Y atiixed my signature. v Y i WALTER WAKEFIELD.VK 

